Peacocke programme celebrates milestones

The new roundabout is set to get under way early next year. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Hamilton City Council has awarded Schick Civil Construction the contract to build a new roundabout in the south-west of the city, the first major piece of roading infrastructure for the new neighbourhood at Peacocke.

The new roundabout, linking Ohaupo Rd/State Highway 3 with a yet-to-be-built new road through Peacocke just south of Dixon Road, is set to get under way early next year and is being built in partnership with NZ Government and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

The council's strategic growth committee chair, Cr Dave Macpherson, says the construction of the roundabout will help unlock the city's biggest growth project.

"The roundabout is one of the main links into the new neighbourhood at Peacocke that will eventually be home for up to 20,000 Hamiltonians. The Council's plan to grow south is an opportunity to create a well-rounded city, centred around the existing CBD, balancing out the growth in northern suburbs like Rototuna.

"Peacocke is just 5km from the central city. A compact, centralised city design gives us more opportunity to enhance effective and accessible public transport, walking and cycling connections, reduce congestion, and mitigate the environmental effects of transportation."

As well as providing an essential gateway into the new neighbourhood, Mr Macpherson said the design will improve safety for people exiting Dixon Road and will include dedicated off-road access for both cyclists and pedestrians.

Mr Macpherson said this is just one of three milestones for Peacocke's infrastructure development this month. Expressions of interest closed last week for the construction of Peacocke's wastewater and transport projects, including the new bridge over the Waikato River.

This second Peacocke transport construction package (including the new bridge) gets under way in late 2020. The Peacocke wastewater project construction gets under way in mid-2020.